NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CELTICS VS. HEAT

September 27, 2020

Marcus Smart

Boston Celtics

Game 6: Postgame

Miami Heat 125, Boston Celtics 113

Q. I know this series just ended, but as you look back on it, what is your biggest regret about the way it played out?

MARCUS SMART: Just really getting behind early. Starting games slow. Starting the series slow. But other than that, that's it. I'm proud of my guys. I'm proud of the way we fought. I'm proud of the way we didn't fold. We didn't lay down. We had plenty of chances where it could have been over early for us. We stayed with it. Played a great Miami team -- great culture, staff, great players. You got to give credit to those guys. But I'm proud of my guys, and like I said, just starting the game slow and starting the series slow.

Q. Tonight they took the game away from you. You guys were up six. The first two games the same way. Why were they able to just kind of take the game away from you when you guys seemed to be in a good position to win?

MARCUS SMART: They were just more aggressive. They were getting whatever they wanted. Got to the free throw line, down the lane, open shots. That's part of it. Unfortunately, we didn't combat it. We didn't respond the way we should have. That's part of it. We played a really good team. Got to tip your hats off to those guys. Got to go back to the drawing board and see what needs to be fixed and come back ready next year.

Q. What is going through your mind right now? I mean, there's so much. Jaylen was saying how raw it all feels. What are the emotions right now for you guys?

MARCUS SMART: Definitely. We're competitors. Anytime you lose a game, especially in a series like this, it's tough. It just happened, so it's still fresh in our minds. But we're competitors. We got to use this fuel to fuel us to come back stronger, better, mentally, physically, emotionally, psychologically, all of it. We've got to use it to our advantage to come back. It's over. We can't change the past. We can only get ready for the future.

Q. You had to step into a huge offensive role in this postseason run. Did you learn from the need to have to balance being hyperaggressive the way you always are and super confident, with also trying to be patient and working a possession and trying to create great looks?

MARCUS SMART: Yeah, I was just trying to step in and provide what my team needed with a guy down. And that's in all aspects, from scoring the ball, to playmaking, to just being there on the defensive end and things like that. That's part of the game. It was my opportunity to step up and bring that. You know, it might be somebody else's. You just got to be ready when your number is called. You have to give everything you can to help your team win.